Electric arc lamp



(No Model.) 3, Sheets -Sheet 1.

O. M. BALL.

ELECTRIC ARC LAMP.

Patented July 8, 1884.

N. PETERS. Pnom-Lnhu m hu. Washmgloh. n. cy

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

G.'M. BALL.,

ELECTRIC ARC LAMP.

Patented July 8, 1884.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

C. M. BALL.

ELECTRIC ARC LAMP.

.No. 801,550. Patented July 8, 188.4.

N. PETERS. Phuw-uho m nen nnnnnn nnnnnnn C.

UNITED; STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLINTON M. BALL, OF TROY, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC- ARC LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 301,550, dated July 8, 1884.

Application filed January 25, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, CLINTON. M. BALL, of Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Electric-Arc Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

In my improvement there is a helix in a shunt-circuit, and the carbon-holder and the gearing and frame connected with the same are supported upon a spring. The armature of the electromagnet is connected with this frame, so that the carbon-holder is moved by the action of the magnet to bring the carbons into contact. The spring then forms the are by lifting the carbon as the current passes through the carbons and the magnet weakens. The train of gearing is held by a spring-brake, and the brake is liberated to allow the carbons to feed whenever the magnet'is energized beyond a certain normal condition or strength. By my improvement the carbon is under the control of one magnet and all the functions required are performed by the same. I also provide in the shunt-circuit a thermic safetyswitch, that short-circuits the lamp in case of the current becoming too strong in the shuntcircuit.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of the upper part of the lamp, the case being in section. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan at theline x m. Fig. 3 is avertical section at the line 3 y. Fig. 4 is a section of the ceiling and suspending attachment. Fig. 5 is a plan of the same, andFig. 6 is a diagram of the connections.

The top plate, A, and bottom plates, 13 E, are connected by the bolts 0 D. The plates B E are insulated from each other. The bolt 0 is insulated from A and E. sulated from B. The lower-carbon holder F is sustained by the frame or rods G, depending from B, and the upper-carbon holder H passes through and is in electric contact with A and E. The helices K L are in a shuntcircuit, passing by the spring a, thermal switch I), from the plate E, and the circuit is by the bolt G to the negative connection at d. The

current entering by 6 passes by A D E--one or The bolt D is in-v of gearing, 1 2 3 4, between the shaft f and the shaft 9 of the brake-wheel a, so that this wheel 6 is revolved rapidly for a very slow movement of the carbon-holder.

If desired, an escapement-wheel, t", may be applied to one of the shafts of the train of gearing, and a vibrator, t, to prevent the parts moving too suddenly if the friction-brake is raised but a fan or fly may take the place of the escapement and vibrator. The shafts of the gearing are journaled in the plates or frames N, that rest upon the middle'of the spring 0, the supports 8 for which spring are near the ends. This spring is either in two parts or made with a central opening, so as to pass at each side of the holder H and the cores I Z of the magnets K L. The armature P Q forms the upper part of the frame N or is connected therewith, and it has short cores 1) q passing into the helices K L.

The brake-lever R is pivoted at s and provided with an end of iron or other magnetic material, so as to be acted upon by the magnetism of the armature P Q and lifted to relieve the pressure upon the brake wheel 2' when the armature P Q is sufficiently energized. The spring 15 applies pressure to the brake-lever R, and the turn-button shaft r and cord are used to adjust the spring and regulate the lamp. This pressure upon the brake wheel is the only adjustment that is required. It may be obtained in any desired mannersuch as by a movable weight applied to the brake-lever, or by any other character of spring, or an adj ustingscrew and spring. The amount of play allowed to the brake-lever may be determined by the brass pin 10, or a screw may take its place.

The armature P Q might be one piece of iron; but I prefer to use two pieces, the ends of which are connected to the non-magnetic armature may become poles that are magnetized by induction, and act upon the iron end of the brake-lever R, the frame N being removed, as shown, to give the necessary space for this iron end for the brake-lever.

It will now be understood that the plate E forms the back bar between the cores Z Z, and that these cores Z will attract the armature I? Q, and the two parts of said armature will become magnetized with opposite poles at the frame N at 20, so that the end portions of the ends thereof, adjacent to the frame, and the strength of the magnetism will be proportioned to the current passing through the helices in the shunt-circuit.

The parts are to be proportioned so that the spring 0 will support the carbon-holder, gearing, frame, and armature, but it will yield to the attraction of the electro-magnet.

.Vhen the carbon is to be put into the holder H, the latter is to be runup, the ratchet-wheel 7c and pawl or allowing the holder to be moved up; but when the carbon is in place and it is drawn down by the fingers, the friction-wheel will turn under its lever, and the carbon points thus be brought together; but as soon as the.

portion to the shunt-current, so the carbon will be drawn down by the magnet or 'be lifted by the spring 0. In connection. with this movement the brake-wheel is liberated and allowed to turn and the carbon to descend whenever the armature becomes sufficiently energized to relieve the brake-wheel from the pressure of the spring '6 and allow it to turn by the weight of the parts acting on the gearing; hence by adjusting this spring the length of arc may be varied, because when the spring pressure on the brake-wheel is strong the are will belong and a stronger current be required in the shunt to raise the brake-lever than will be needed if the spring-pressure is weak.

The thermie switch 5 is made of a wire of lead or other suitable material that is of a size to offer resistance and that will either soften or melt with the heat developed by the current if the same becomes too great through the shunt, and when the said wire?) thus yields the spring a will come into contact with the stud '0 upon the plate B, and the current will be switched past the lamp and by D E a c B G to d. The ends of the spring a and the plate 6 should be notched, and the thermie switchwire I) have heads at both ends, so that the lamp can be restored by simply placing another wire between a and c".

In order to connect the lamp to the ceiling or other support and to allow for its removal, I provide the polygonal heads to the bolts 0 D, such heads forming the binding-posts if separate wires are used. The corners of one of these heads are in a different position from those upon the other head, so that the lamp cannot be put up the wrong way, and there are openings in the ceiling-plates e d corresponding to the polygonal heads 0 and d, and there are ledges or ribs at 16 over which the polygonal heads are passed as the bolts are moved along to place in the slotted portions of the ceiliiigplate; hence the parts cannot I become disconnected accidentally. These ceiling-plates are screwed to a block of wood or other non-conductor, and the wires or other conductors are fastened to these ceiling-pl ates.

Only one helix may be used in place of the two helices shown. This may be placed at one side of the carbon-holder, or it may be placed around the same, the carbon-holder passing through a tubular case, the operations of the parts being the same as before described.

\Vhile the lamp is being adjusted, or when the lamp is to be extinguished, the switch a may be turned into contact with the pin 8. This closes the circuit between the plates E and B in consequence of the pivot-stud of the switch being connected to B and insulated where it passes through the plate E, and the stud 3 being upon said plate E.

I elaim as my invention- 1. The combination, with the carbons and holders in an arc lamp, of a helix in a shunt between the and binding-posts, a rack upon the carbon-holder, a train of gearing, and a brake-wheel, the frame for the gearing and spring for supporting the weight of the parts, and an armature-lever acting upon the b121k6-Wll0l, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the carbon-holder and a rack upon the same, of a train of gearing, a frame for the same, a spring for sus taining the weight of the moving parts, a divided armature and a helix in a shunt-circuit, and an armature brake-lever in proximity to the magnetic poles of the armature, substantially as specified.

3. The eleetro-magnets K L and the back bar, E, in combination with the carbon-hold er passing through the back bar, the train of gearing and a frame, a spring below the frame, an armature connected to the frame, and a brake wheel and lever, substantially as specified.

a. The combination, in an electric lamp, of an armature made in two parts and united by non-magnetic material, and an armature-lever placed in the magnetic field of the armature and acting to control the movements of the carbon, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, in an electric lamp, of a carbon-holder, at "am of gearing, and a brakewheel, a lever and adj nstable presser applied to the b 'ake-wheel, and a magnet energized by a current in a shunt-circuit and acting to liberate the brake-wheel, and a spring to raise the carbon, substantially as specified.

(i. The combination, with the electric lamp, of the bolts C D, having polygonal heads, in combination with the ceiling-plates c" (1?, hav ing corresponding openings slotted and with ledges or ribs, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 17th day of January, 1. D. 1884. I

CLINTON M. BALL.

lVitnesses:

W. H. I-IoLLis'rnR, J12, JOHN 0. BALL. 

